700,000 eggs infiltrate UK as European scare crosses the sea

Approximately 700,000 eggs have reached the UK from potentially contaminated farms in The Netherlands, the UK’s food watchdog has said. The figures are up from the initial estimate of 21,000 eggs.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) in the UK said it was very unlikely that there was a risk to public health. 

“The decision to withdraw these products is not due to food safety concerns, but is based on the fact that fipronil is not authorised for use in food producing animals. The Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland are committed to ensuring that food is safe, and that UK consumers have food they can trust.

“We are reminding food businesses of their legal responsibilities which include informing the FSA or FSS and relevant local authorities immediately if they have any reason to believe that a food which they have imported, produced, processed or distributed does not comply with food safety requirements.”

The British Egg Industry Council insisted that shell eggs on sale to consumers in the UK had not been affected.

“All major UK retailers stock British Lion shell eggs and tests have shown that there is no risk from British eggs.”

As many supermarkets recall products, a Sainsbury’s spokesperson said:

“The safety of our products is our priority. Our supplier has made us aware that two salad bowls, which contain egg, may include very small traces of fipronil. The FSA has advised that this is unlikely to pose a health risk, but we’re withdrawing these products from sale on a temporary basis as a precautionary measure. We’re sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.”

Withdrawn egg products

• Sainsbury’s ham and egg salad (240g) use by 9-14 August 2017
• Sainsbury’s potato and egg salad (300g) use by 9-14 August
• Morrisons potato and egg salad (250g) use by up to 13 August
• Morrisons egg and cress sandwich (sold in Morrisons Cafe only) use by up to and including 11 August
• Morrisons cafe sandwich selection (sold in Morrisons Cafe only) use by up to and including 11 August
• Waitrose free range egg mayonnaise deli filler (240g) use by 13 and 16 August
• Waitrose free range reduced fat egg mayonnaise deli filler (170g) use by 14 August
• Waitrose free range egg and bacon deli filler (170g) use by 14 and 16 August
• Asda baby potato and free range egg salad (270g) use by 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 August
• Asda spinach and free range egg snack pot (110g) use by 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 August
• Asda FTG ham and cheddar ploughman’s salad bowl (320g) use by 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 August

Source: FSA (10 August)

To read more about the scandal, click here.